One of the most organically freaky records I’ve ever heard. Totally serendipitous experimental pile-on of traditional Congolese singer Bony Bikaye; Algerian-born French producer Hector Zazou; and Claude Micheli and Guillaume Loizillon, mechanics of a massive wall of early 70s analog computers who called themselves CY1. Calling this “east meets west” is totally reductive; this thing is man meets machine on another planet.
Category: Album
Deutsche Wertarbeit – Deutsche Wertarbeit, 1981
The only solo record from Dorothea Raukes, ex-singer of krautrock band Streetmark. Really tasteful and meditative synth textures, and melodies that feel oddly familiar even on first-listen. “Auf Engelsflügeln” is a narrative high point; “Der Grosse Atem” is a shimmering cosmic closer. Definitely an on-repeat record.
Roberto Cacciapaglia & Ann Steel – The Ann Steel Album, 1979
Francis Bebey – Akwaaba, 1985
Guest post by Collin Crowe
A personal favorite. Aquatic mbira rhythms with heavy overtone vocals that sound like splitting wood.
Leda – Welcome to Joyland, 1978
Guest post by Collin Crowe
Peter Baumann’s uncredited cosmic modular electro-pop album.
Solid Space – Space Museum, 1982
Acoustic guitar and synth, together, as one — and still so dark! Not available for purchase anywhere. Edit: you can buy the reissue below.